I am 77 years old in average shape with minor walking problems. I'm trying to decide if I should take the cable car all the way up to the top of Mt. Blanc, go to the halfway area, or just stay on the ground. Any advice from older people who have done this?
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
3379 posts
It's not so much about age, it's about health conditions. If you are concerned, ask your doctor.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
7683 posts
The primary concern would be acute altitude sickness due to the rapid acent from Chamonix. This could affect anyone, regardless of age, but can be much worse for anyone with any cardiovascular or respiratory condition. If you are unsure, then consult your personal health professional.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
9188 posts
At what altitude do you live right now? While I took the cable car to the top more than 20 years ago (in the winter), I’m close to your age now, but I live at almost 9,000 feet. I regularly take chairlifts in the winter, and hike in summer and fall to 12,000 feet. Jet airliners pressurize their cabins at the equivalent of 6,000 to 8,000 foot elevation, so just flying to France will give you a taste of a higher elevation. Does flying give you any challenges?
As you may know, the halfway point, Plan de l'Aiguille, is at 7,554 feet, while the top, Aiguille du Midi, reaches 12,605 feet. The very top of Mt. Blanc itself is over 15,000 feet, but the cable car doesn’t reach the summit. Sleeping at a higher elevation than you’re used to for 2-3 nights can help acclimatize to even higher elevations. Headaches or shortness of breath can be caution signs, but gradually easing into a higher elevation can help with those. Riding both the lower and upper cable cars requires standing the whole 5-10 minutes in each car, although rails and straps are present for grip assistance. As suggested above, consulting your doctor could address concerns.
Posted by
Chicago
9802 posts
Are you talking about. Aiquille du Midi? which goes up next to Mont Blanc? We did it a couple of years ago at 80 and lived to tell the tale. Fabulous viewpoint -- I only wish we could have taken the cable car from there to Italy but it wasn't running when we were there in May.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2023/03/27/quick-trip-up-the-aiquille-du-midi-chamonix/
We went up first and then stopped for lunch at the cable car change point. It wasn't an issue at all.